River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1887-01-20
Trees Prom SEED.


Thousands OF western farms are now destitute
OF trees simply because the owners do not feel
able to purchase stock from the nurseryman.
In looking over many of the price-lists Of west
ern nurse ries fud, a rule, prices on the COM
mon varieties OF both evergreen and deciduous
trees are much higher than they should De IL
is little wonder that farmers deferred from
planting. Many of these nurserymen, or rather
dealers, simply act as mddlemen, buying trees
in large quantities in Wisconsin, Michigan and
Others states where they are largely grown, or
grow spontaneously, and selling out to farmers
at several hundred per cent advance, without
even transplantng In many cases. Trees cost
ing them one dollar per thousand or less are Of
ten ssld for more than that per one hundred.
Farmers hesitate to buy at a distance from
home even IL informed as TO prices that may be
obtained at first hands They do not know
with whom they are dealing, and they fear high
freight charges as well. 1t is, indeed, well 10
be informed as 10 the reliability OF parties TO
whom one must send money In advance; but as
TO freights one need have no fear when ordering
small trees such as should be and now general
ly are purchased for western planting Trees
under fifteen inches weigh but few pounds per
1000. The farmer, so far as this is concerned
may well pay his own freights and get the
trees at first cost as to pay the freight and inn
mense profit through some mddeman.
But what | wished particularly to referto in
this article is that farmers and those who wi sh
TO set tree claims with deciduous seedlings can
best supply themselves by planting the seeds
upon their own land.
Such seedlings as white ash, white maple,
walnut, box elder, and elm, are about as easily
grown many plants OF corn Tue seeds
may be sown in drills and cultivated and weeded
like any other drilled crop with an equal assur-
ance OF success. Such seedlings grow rapidy
from the very start, often attaining a neiglt Of
from one to two feet In a single season. The
following spring they may be u implanted to
the place which they are to permanently occupy.
OR the seeds may be planted at the start where
the trees will be wanted and thus save labor
and risk in transplanting. Much more land is
required for this method, however, the first
summer, and the labor of cultvatng is vastly
increased. l would advise the drill planting.
putting IN the seed very thickly. One hundred
thousand white ash naples may thus be
grown on a quarter acre OF land.
Such seeds should be sown as early as possible
in spring, (thick shelled nuts having been frozen
over winter in earth sawdust) and covered
about as deeply as corn, large nuts, such a.
walnuts, trine deeper).
| find that western farmers are waking up to
the fact that 1t pays to grow such easily prOpo-
gated seedlings at at home. Orders have
been pouring in upon me for such seeds al a
rapidly increasing rate, especially for white ash
and white or soft maple
It will hardly pay the farmer to raise his
evergreen from the seed. / have never yet
found anything more exactiRg than these.
They grow very slowly, attaining height Of but
two or three inches the first season. An appal-
ling amount Of delicate hand wedding is thus
necessitated. The birds must be guarded
again st when the plants first come up with the
seed inclosing the tip ends of the tiny needles.
Ihey must be shaded against the scorching sun,
and yet not too heavily.
would advise the farmers of the west to
plant largely Of deciduous seeds, and buy less
seedlings for their tree claims and other plant
ings few dollars invested in seeds will fur
nish a tree claim. w d. BOyHton